Infant/linked Junior school and catchments

[lilystar]

In our area (not London), we have two infant schools which feed into a linked Junior school for the majority of pupils, and our LA also runs catchment areas for primary schools.

If a child is attending one of the infant schools which is not their catchment school, what are the chances of them getting into the linked Junior school, given that last year it was over subscribed?

The council information on this is really unclear, as most of the other schools in the city are 3-11 primaries, and most of the application information is about applying in YR not Y3.

The junior school should publish its criteria for entrance whcih I imagine would read something like

1. Looked after children
2. Children in catchment attending feeder school with sibling
3. Children in catchment attending feeder school without sibling
4. Children outside catchment attending feeder with sibling
5. Children outside catchment attending feeder without sibling
6. Other children

They should also publish a table on the council website of how many applied and got in/appealed but it will depend really each year on numbers of siblings/birth rates for that year etc.

I am in almost the opposite situation (my son goes to a feeder infants and I am considering moving him to a 4-11 school rather than feeder junior). Here, children going to the feeder school do not get priority so your application would be treated the same as other OOC applicants (probably depending on distance).

You really need to check the admissions criteria. Though there will be less potential siblings than a 4-11 type school (as only siblings up to 3 years older will count).

Thanks. The council published the numbers for how many applied and how many got in, but there's no appeals data. It also doesn't specify under which criteria the last child was admitted.

The year in question is quite a big one - our infant school expanded to two YR classes the year my ds started, previously it had been three classes mixed across two years I think.

Of course, none of this is helped by the rubbish council website, and the fact that they don't publish any of the catchment information anywhere!

Lily,

Which area are you in?

This really depends on the admission criteria for the school. Regarding the criteria under which children got in, ask the council. If necessary, make a Freedom of Information request. They should be able to tell you how many children were admitted in each category and which criteria was used for the last child admitted.

I wouldn't worry about the appeals data as that isn't really relevant but they should be able to give you enough information to tell you how much chance you have of gettnig in.

Fruitgums - one of the Staffordshire councils.

prh - thanks. I'll ask the council and see what I get back. It's actually not us that will be affected, it's my ds's best friend. We live close to the school, so I have to assume we're in catchment, especially as there's no other school closer. His friend on the other hand lives quite a way away and has at least three schools closer.

These are all non-faith schools, by the way.

Thanks for your help.

Have you tried phoning the council? I'm based in Surrey and they are absolutely great at answering questions regarding admission numbers and the furthest distance from school etc.

It's worth a try - good luck!

Thanks. I'm going to try emailing them first, if no joy I'll probably give them a ring.

I'm in Staffordshire.